The advice from Tauranga travel agency owner David Cull is straightforward: 'Seek the advice of your travel doctor.”

Travel safely and with knowledge – you don't have to travel in fear and you don't have to avoid travel.

Harvey World Travel Tauranga owner David Cull with the travel doctor flier. Photo: Tracy Hardy.

Despite the Zika virus scare, despite it spreading to Peru and despite reports out of the USA that the virus can be transmitted through sex, New Zealanders are still travelling.

'No-one's cancelled their arrangements yet,” says David Cull of Harvey World Travel in Cameron Road.

'However, I am sure people will be quite vigilant, avoid areas of concern and look to alternative destinations. People understandably like to avoid issues like Zika if they can.”

In Brazil, Zika has risen to what's been described as 'explosive and alarming new levels”.

The Zika virus infection itself isn't severe. It's described as a mild febrile viral illness. In other words, it causes fever and joint pain.

But the real menace is for pregnant women and woman who maybe pregnant.

The mosquito-born virus has been linked to a severe foetal deformity called microcephaly. It could be the cause of children being born with unusually small heads and brains, in turn causing irreversible neurological damage and developmental problems.

The Tauranga medical officer of health, Dr Phil Shoemack, recommends local women who know they are pregnant or maybe pregnant to delay travel to Zika affected areas of the South Pacific and equatorial and Central America.

Dr Shoemack says New Zealanders headed to the region should also take appropriate steps to reduce the risk of being bitten by the aedes aegypti (yellow fever mosquito). Unlike New Zealand mosquitoes, it's a daytime blood sucker.

That means Kiwi travellers taking and using a DEET based insect repellent – DEET being diethyltoluamide or the most common active ingredient in an insect repellent.

Travellers should also take practical steps to reduce being bitten such as long-sleeved clothing.

'That's probably a difficult message when you are travelling to a tropical destination, but not insurmountable,” says Dr Shoemack.

Talk to your accommodation provider before travel, and try to choose somewhere that has good fly screens on the windows or mosquito nets over the bed.

Dr Shoemack also suggests tapping into local knowledge. 'Locals will know where the mosquitoes are worst. Take their advice and stay away from those areas.”

David says people are comparing it to the Ebola virus. 'But a lot of the countries where Ebola is prevalent aren't destinations of choice for many Kiwis.”

This is a little different, adds David, because Brazil is a popular destination. 'And likewise surrounding countries.”

Harvey World Travel is just getting into its travel selling season. 'And with the Olympics in Brazil in August, it will be interesting to see the level of interest.”

David thought bookings might open up with Air New Zealand's new direct flights to Rio de Janeiro. 'But the service is relatively new.”

Like the travellers, the travel agent is playing a waiting game.